Granite captures GHL championship

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 7, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

LA MESA —.Top-ranked Granite Hills needed only two innings to come out on top Friday (May 6), but they certainly were impressive.

Trailing 3-0 to 9th-rated Helix, the Eagles rebounded with four go-ahead runs in the fourth inning, then six more n the sixth to cap a string of 10 unanswered runs to race past the host Highlanders, 10-3, in Grossmont Hills League action.

The triumph assured Granite Hills head coach James Davis of at least a share of his ninth Grossmont Conference league championship. Davis needs a win in one of two regular-season finales next week to earn a sixth out-right crown.

The pennant was the Eagles’ first crown since 2016.

The run of 10 unanswered runs featured home runs by Camden Sos and Brenden Lewis, each hitting his second of the year.

Eagles pitcher Nico Tomasello survived a rough opening inning to fire a complete game. After the first three Helix batters reached base, capped by a 3-run home run by Ben Haar, Tomasello ended with seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just one other basehit in his 2-hitter.

Tomasello, a junior who’s been working under the radar most of the season, raised his record to 5-1, winning all five of his starts — and getting better with each ensuing outing.

Following Haar’s bomb to center field, the game belonged to the Eagles.

In the fourth, a lead double by Jacob Embleton turned the momentum, immediately scoring on a line, RBI single to center by Sos.

Two batters later, Ethan McNish-Heider recorded a run-scoiring single, Later, a sacrifice fly by Cody Macias tied the contest, then Hudson Beamon’s RBI single would proved to be the game-winning basehit.

In the sixth, the finish line flag waved early on four unearned runs. A one-out double by Macias was sandwiched around a pair of Helix errors.

The second error came on a grounder by Beamon and brought in two runs.

Then on the next pitch, Lewis slammed his 2-run homer to left. For Lewis, it was his second home run of the season, and one of eight players to go long for the Granite Hills this season; Grant Mac Arthur is the club and East County leader with nine.

Granite Hills (20-4 overall, 9-1 GHL) finished with 14 hits, including two by Mac Arthur, Embleton, Sos, McNish-Heider and Tanner Vielguth,

Helix (17-6, 6-3 GHL) fell into a tie for second place with 3rd-rated Santana, which had a bye

Grossmont Conference Annual Baseball Champions (since splitting into 2 leagues)
Grossmont Valley League 2022 – West Hills 2021 – Santana (9-0) 2020 – none/pandemic 2019 – Valhalla (10-2) 2018 – Santana (14-1) 2017 – Valhalla (13-2) 2016 – Santana (11-1) 2015 -Santana/El Capitan (9-3) 2014 – Santana (10-2) 2013 – El Capitan (9-3) 2012 – El Capitan (12-0) 2011 – El Capitan (12-0) 2010 – El Capitan (11-1)	Grossmont Hills League 2022 – Granite Hills 2021 – Grossmont (12-3) 2020 – none/pandemic 2019 – Helix (8-4) 2018 – Helix (9-3) 2017 – Helix/Santana (9-3) 2016 – Granite Hills/Helix Grossmont (10-5) 2015 -Grossmont (10-5) 2014 – Granite Hills (13-2) 2013 – Grossmont/Granite Hills (11-4) 2012 – Granite Hills (12-3) 2011 – Grossmont (13-2) 2010 – Grossmont (11-4)

Grossmont South League 2009 – Steele Canyon (12-3) 2008 – Steele Canyon (12-3) 2007 – Granite Hills (14-1) 2006 – Granite Hills (14-1) 2005 – Valhalla/Granite Hills (13-2) 2004 – Valhalla (15-0) 2003 – Valhalla (14-1) 2002 – Granite Hills (10-2) 2001 – Helix (8-4) 2000 – Helix (10-2) 1999 – Granite Hills (10-2) 1998 – Granite Hills (10-2) 1997 – Monte Vista (9-3) 1996 – Helix/Monte Vista (8-4) 1995 – Monte Vista (8-4)	Grossmont North League 2009 – Grossmont (10-2) 2008 – Grossmont (10-2) 2007 – Grossmont (11-1) 2006 – Grossmont (10-2) 2005 – El Capitan (11-1) 2004 – Santana (12-2) 2003 – Grossmont/West Hills (8-4) 2002 – Grossmont (11-1) 2001 – El Capitan (11-1) 2000 – Santana (9-3) 1999 – Santana/El Capitan (9-3) 1998 – Grossmont (12-0) 1997 – Grossmont (10-2) 1996 – Grossmont/El Capitan (9-3) 1995 – Grossmont (9-3)

Grossmont 2A League 1994 – El Capitan/Monte Vista (9-3) 1993 – El Capitan (10-2) 1992 – El Capitan (8-4) 1991 – Grossmont (8-0) 1990 – Grossmont (8-0) 1989 – Grossmont (5-1)	Grossmont 3A League 1994 – Granite Hills (10-2) 1993 – Grossmont (8-3-1) 1992 – Grossmont (11-1) 1991 – Granite Hills (7-1) 1990 – Helix/El Capitan (6-2) (Helix won tiebreaker for top CIF berth, 4-3) 1989 – Helix (7-1)

Grossmont 10, Steele Canyon 5
FLETCHER HILLS —.The Grossmont Foothillers were ready for the start of the season, capturing a tournament with five straight victories. Are they now ready for a late postseason run?

On Friday (Nay 6), the Hillers looked like nothing was wrong with its ballclub. Behind a pair of two-run doubles by Barron Zamora, Grossmont scored in five consecutive innings to overwhelm visiting Steele Canyon, 10-5, to escape the cellar in the Grossmont Hills League.

Pitcher Skyler Sasena-Ruth lasted until his pitch limit over 5.1 innings, yielding just two runs on five innings. The Cougars got their other runs late against the bullpen.

Of course, the inspiration for Grossmont was club leader Noah Barnes, who started a two-out rally in the third to grab the lead after trailing 3-2. His double set-up a game-tying single by Brayden Bennett, then an error gave them the lead.

An inning later, another two-out rally with no one on base saw a hit batter and a single get cashed in on Zamora’s first extra-base hit to center field.

Then in the sixth, Zamora went to left to plate two more, capping his four RBI performance.

Meanwhile, Bennett batted 4-for-4 with a double, with four runs and an RBI in his best outing of the season.

Grossmont (8-19-1 overall, 2-7 GHL) recorded five doubles among its 13 hits. The other was by Brandon Hermosillo.

Steele Canyon (12-13, 1-9) received four RBI from right fielder Taylor.Corella. Center fielder Will James batted 2-for-4 with a triple and a double, scoring both times

The Cougars, which like the Hillers also started the season with a 5-0 ledger, remains in the running for a home game in the CIF Division I tournament according to the the current San Diego Section power index.

Since the top eight school head to the Open Division draw, the Cougars, now listed at No. 12, would gain a bye into the main draw.

The potential opponent, currently listed at No. 13, is Westview, which plays No. 20 Point Loma — both schools hold strong postseason records against East County programs over the past decade.